


She's in love with herself (She likes the dark)

by TheonlyDan



Category: Dark Shadows (2012)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28335360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonlyDan/pseuds/TheonlyDan
Summary: Post-movie. What happens to Dr. Hoffman.
Relationships: Julia Hoffman/Elizabeth Collins Stoddard
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	She's in love with herself (She likes the dark)

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own the characters nor the setting. The title was taken from Black No. 1 by Type O Negative.

She was never fond of swimming, nor had she ever taken a liking to the ocean. More of a landlubber, Dr. Hoffman remembered distinctly how the air of Collinsport always filled with the salty, grainy taste of rawness. It was ironic, now that she was the closest to the source of the smell—at the bottom of the Atlantic.

Getting out of the chains was rough. Barnabas and Willie bound her tight. The water must be cold. She could only feel the currents, not the temperature. Julia only hoped she had sunk deep enough. The sea could protect her from sunshine. She also wondered what could happen if she just let it be. She might be disintegrating with all the fish swimming near her, mocking her untimely reborn, staring with unveiled interest and hunger.

_Carolyn touches herself. She makes noises like a kitten._

_You little shit!_

Julia recalled that along with a thousand other horrendous table chit chats. She suddenly realized she _would_ miss the Collins if she was gone.

So she struggled with the power of a newborn vampire. There was going to be a lot more homicide in Maine: cases of dead people bone-dry without blood.

***

The Collins made headlines for blaming everything on the dead witch. Only idiots would buy all that shit. Julia was sure that Lizzie or Barnabas must have made some sort of pact with the sheriff. Country folks; they would do anything to avoid trouble.

She felt sorry for Angelique. Julia always had a strange sort of affection for the chic bully. Whether it had something to do with the fact that she was the cause of Elizabeth’s migraine, Julia was in no hurry to get to the bottom of it.

Dr. Hoffman stayed in the finest suite—which smelled like crustaceans and salt—in the town’s only inn. When days turned into weeks, then weeks into months, she started to worry about what if the Collins didn’t get the mortifying bills. It wasn’t her fault that she needed new clothes and jewelry; she was a woman with needs.

Alas, now she couldn’t see herself in the mirror. It was the biggest default of being a vampire.

***

  
“I know what you’ve been playing, Julia.”

Julia heard her footsteps from the hall—cautious and unhurried—but her voice still made her jump. She didn’t turn to face the intruder. If she was still alive, her heart would be beating a thousand times per minute. In the shadows, Julia kept on staring at the dreary view out of the inn’s window. Specks of dust danced in beams of sunlight. God knows when was the last time they washed the drapes.

“Oh, really. How fascinating.”

She drawled. Elizabeth huffed. Julia could pick up Elizabeth’s scent from across the room. It was the one that she’d always wear if she needed to deal with important figures. _Jasmin. Vanilla. Musk. Patchouli._

Julia took a deep breath even if totally unnecessary. She reached for the brandy. She could see Elizabeth in her peripheral view. The blond was a congregation of nerves. Her presence was too ethereal for this dingy room.

Julia’s hands didn’t shake as she offered, “A drink?”

“I thought, in your… _condition_ , you wouldn’t need any alcohol.”

“Who said I am the one who needs it?”

She turned on her heels proudly. There were zero signs of inebriation. Julia smiled at the matriarch of the Collins, and Julia could hear a small gasp erupting from her.

“Now come, sit on the bed and have a glass. It’s not cheap.”

“Of course.” Elizabeth exhaled shakily, her shoulders stiff. She obliged nonetheless, “I’ve been paying for it, haven’t I?”

“Finally visiting the kept woman, I see?”

Their fingers brushed and it was a nice sensation. Lizzie raised a brow, unmoved, “I’m not exactly married.”

Julia just cocked her head. It was impossible to not relapse into watching the blond woman. Observing her, psychoanalyzing her, mesmerized by her.

“What?” Asked Elizabeth. The atmosphere was starting to thicken. Julia chose now to saunter closer and sat down next to her. The mattress dipped accordingly.

“How do I look?”

Elizabeth frowned, her lips pink and moisturized. Julia instantly regretted asking such a vain question, but then she congratulated herself for eliciting any kind of emotion—anger and irritation now—from the blonde.

The blonde opened her mouth. Julia could almost hear the accusations shooting her way. But she changed her mind at the last second. She raised her glass to her mouth and finished the liquor in one go. Julia watched the knot of Elizabeth’s milky throat moved. The blond then stared at the empty glass. Twenty years crawled to their rightful place upon her face.

“I’m not here to make remarks upon your timeless beauty, Dr. Hoffman.” She said flatly, “I’m here to make you an offer.”

“Oh are we back to formalities, Miss Collins?” Julia pouted, “I thought we have already moved past that kind of nonsense.”

“Make a number.” Muttered Elizabeth. She closed her eyes, the glass almost rolling out of her hands like she ran out of strength. Julia quickly shut her own mouth. The blond continued faintly, “Any number for you to leave Collinsport.”

For a minute the duo said nothing; Elizabeth in pain and Julia in shocking silence. There were only noises of people in the streets, someone giggling loudly in the halls, Elizabeth’s regular breathing, and her heart hammering in her chest. Julia didn’t know how to feel. She wasn’t sure she still had the ability to have her heart broken.

Julia had thought of a thousand questions related to immortality, but none of it was heavier than the fact that _her_ Lizzie no longer wanted her.

“Do you mean what you said?”

Julia’s voice cracked. Elizabeth jolted her head toward the vampiress’s direction. Elizabeth looked scared and weary. It was the first time she witnessed Julia being so upset.

Elizabeth swallowed with difficulty. She was torn. She didn’t have the heart for this.

“If you said yes, I’ll leave once and for all.” Julia set her jaw. She got up from the bed. She threw her hands on her waist and walked around, just so she had something to do while she reminded herself that her tears were black, and it would be ugly to cry, “Just tell me if you want me to go, forever.”

And Julia failed. She could feel something wet on her cheek as she spun to look at Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s face was incomprehensible. Julia leaned in. She tilted the blonde’s chin so she could meet her gaze. 

“Tell me _you_ want me to leave.”

Julia whispered after Elizabeth looked into her eyes. Those steely blues melted with her resolutions, Julia could tell. Her features were clouding with grief only Julia could understand, the kind that only appeared when Lizzie was trying to make the right decision.

“I…I need you to leave.”

It hurt. It still hurt. Julia felt more tears stinging her eyes after she averted Elizabeth’s gaze. She backed away, but Elizabeth reached for her collar, cupped her face and kissed her. Their teeth knocked. They could always find a different balance.

And it still tasted the same. Elizabeth. Peppermint and coffee, with an aftertaste of iron… _blood_.

When they parted, Elizabeth stared at Julia’s mouth, half in wanton, half in horror.

“Don’t worry I’m not going to bite you.” Julia rasped, smug and slightly dazed, “Have you been chewing your lip again?”

“Maybe.” Sighed the blonde in defeat. Julia grinned at the blush that climbed from Elizabeth’s neck to her cheeks. Maybe she’d have a second chance to leave marks on those delicate skin.

“I want you to stay, goddamn it.” Elizabeth growled, her perfect hairdo fluttering as she slouched, “I’m just…so tired of all the changes. The reconstructing, the canning business…taking over it all was fucking exhausting.”

“I’ll talk to him. To Barnabas, to everybody. Let me do the talking.”

Elizabeth’s brows almost jumped to her hairline. It was out of character for Julia to say such things. Julia just shrugged. Then she couldn’t help but smirk at Elizabeth, who was gaping at her fangs (again) and her heroic announcement that was too much for her age.

“After all, I have all the time in the world.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic happened after I watched the movie to celebrate Christmas (?)  
> Please tell me what you think! Suggestions and kudos are welcomed~


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